Yep thats me!
This is a picture from a production of L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love) by Donizetti and I sang the role of Nemorino, which in Italian means “little nothing”! 🙂
For those who don’t know the opera, it is a comic opera, obviously, and one of the most popular there is. The role of Nemorino is one of the truly great tenor roles. For me it was one of the most fun roles I did. It is a role that displays a whole spectrum of emotions and you really get to express everthing that is in you during a performance. Beautiful music and an entertaining plot.
Just to make a brief synopsis,
Nemorino is a peasant boy from the country, he is a little odd and is always made fun of in the village and is in love with the beautiful Adina, the daughter of a rich businessman in the city, who everyone adores.
Nemorino, who can’t read, listens in on Adina telling the story of Tristan and Isolde and how the love elixir made isolde love Tristan and he decided he needed some of it. Shortly thereafter the travelling salesman rides into town selling his magical elixir which cures all ills. Nemorino asks him if it is also an elixir of love and of course the good Doctor says yes!
Nemorino doesn’t have the 20 scudi to buy the elixir, but then enlists in the militia, for which he is unsuited, and gets the 20 scudi to buy the elixir.
The Doctor agrees to the deal and slaps a label on a bottle of bordeaux wine, and off Nemorino goes to drink it all up to make sure he gets the full effect of the love elixir.
In the second act the rumor is spread that Nemorino has inherited a lot of money from a rich uncle, and suddenly all of the girls in town are in love with him. When he comes into the village, he is totally tipsey from the wine, and thinks that the amorous advances of the townsgirls are due to the elixir.
Adina gets jealous and is then hurt as Nemorino plays hard to get, and she cries, which means that she loves him. This makes him very happy but now he went and hurt her.
Thus comes the poignant aria Una furtiva lagrima, a furtive tear, that is the perfect expression of the lovesick heart of a youth. To hear it you think it is a sad song, but actually it is a happy song. “She loves me, now I could die of love.”
Of course the opera ends, he has been released from the militia, the Doctor goes on his merry way after the proof of his elixir’s miracle results turned into profits and Adina and Nemorino live happily ever after.
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Expression has been a big part of my life. No matter how I was feeling in life, getting on stage and expressing all of the emotions that opera provides released me from a lot of tension. It is a great therapy in a way, but yet a controled expression, because you can’t just gut it out as in rock and roll or something. It has to always remain beautiful, honest and compelling.
Now, blogging, videoing and podcasting are great ways to express yourself. You are broadcasting things that mean the most to you in a way that is compelling and hopefully beautiful in a way.
When there is no one to turn to, I turn to my pages, and the blogs I have with the Empower Network allow me to get it off of my chest and into the world, maybe someone will benefit from it.
When your message resonates with people, you are helping people out. That is why blogging is so great, it gives everyone a chance to be of use to society in one way, and is broadcast all over the world to share your.
Check out this simple to use blogging platform. It is the best! Hey, for $25 bucks, that is like it being given to you!
Sing a song, just sing a song!